Hub cap



Aug. 4, 1936.

WITN EDI:

J. L. MARTIN 2,050,107

HUB CAP Filed Jan. 21, 1935 I m A? ATTORN EY Patented Aug. 4, 1936 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFlCE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to hub caps for motor vehicle wheels and its general object is to provide a cap that can be applied and removed almost instantly with very little effort and without tools, yet accidental removal, displacement or the cap becoming loose is practically impossible.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hub cap that includes manually actuated latching means for securing it in place, and it is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and extremely efficient in operation and servlce.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be here inafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a rear view of the cap which forms the subject matter of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 22 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the letter A indicates a fragmentary portion of a wheel hub or the like and which is provided with the usual cap receiving opening.

My cap includes a body provided with a slightly outwardly curved face portion l, in the form as shown, and which merges into an inwardly curved annular portion 2, the latter having formed thereon an inwardly directed flange 3 for the purpose of receiving an outwardly directed annular flange 4 of the neck 5 of my cap, as clearly shown in Figure 2. The flanges 3 and 4 are fixedly associated with each other by welding or other suitable securing means.

The neck 5 is of a size to fit within the opening of the wheel hub A and the flange portion of the body of the cap contacts the hub about the opening to limit the inward movement of the cap with respect to the wheel hub as will be apparent.

Secured to the inner surface of the face portion I is the flattened strip portion 6 of a frame that includes an inwardly directed portion formed on the lower end of the portion 6, and the outer end of the portion 1 has formed thereon diverging arms 8 that terminate in flattened free ends 9, the latter being arranged in spaced relation with respect to the flanged portions of the cap and substantially aligned therewith, as best shown in Figure 2.

Formed on the upper end of the strip portion 6 and extending into an upturned sleeve I is an inwardly directed portion ll. Mounted for slidable movement in the sleeve I0 is a plunger l2 that has a coil spring l3 surrounding the same and the sleeve respectively, with one free end contacting the portion I! while its opposite end contacts a right angled bent latch member I4 10 which has the plunger extending therethrough and the plunger likewise extends through the portion 2 of the body of the cap to be exteriorly arranged with respect thereto and the plunger terminates at its outer end in a head Hi. The plunger has formed therewith a boss; I6 for contacting engagement with the latch member M to urge the same against the pressure of the coil spring [3, and the latch member [4 includes an upwardly directed portion normally disposed in spaced relation with respect to the flanged portion of the body to contact the inner face of the hub, as clearly shown in Figure 2, and for that purpose the neck is provided with a slot [1 for the passage of the upwardly directed portion of the latch member M. The neck is provided with slots I8 to receive the flattened free ends 9 of the arms 8.

In applying my cap to the hub, it will be obvious that the lower edge portion of the hub about the opening is disposed between the free ends 9 of the arms 8 and the flanged portion of the cap. The plunger is then pressed against the spring l3 to allow the neck of the cap to be inserted within the hub opening to its fullest extent and so that the flanged portion of the cap will contact the outer edge of the opening. Upon releasing the plunger the latch member will be moved to operative position and contact the inner edge of the hub at the upper end of the open- 0 ing, with the result it will be seen that the cap can be easily and expeditiously applied or removed and casual or accidental removal or displacement is practically impossible.

The plunger is of course limited in its upward movement and for that purpose, I provide a stop 19 formed on the lower end of the plunger and which contacts the bottom of the sleeve.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of my invention will be readily apparent.

I desire it to be understood that I may make changes in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A hub cap for a vehicle wheel, comprising a body, a neck for said body to be received in an opening in the hub, a frame including a strip portion fixed t0 the inner face of the body diametrically thereof, diverging arms connected to one end of the strip portion, a sleeve connected to the opposite end thereof, a spring pressed plunger slidably mounted in the sleeve, a right angled bent latch plate carried by the plunger and cooperating with the arms for securing the cap to the hub.

2. A hub cap for a vehicle wheel comprising a body having an inturned flange formed on the periphery thereof, a neck for the body having an outturned flange formed on an end thereof, and secured to the first mentioned flange, a frame including a strip portion secured to the inner face of the body, diverging arms connected to one end of the strip portion and terminating in flattened ends extending through the neck in spaced relation with respect to the flange of the body, a sleeve connected to the opposite end of the strip portion, a spring pressed plunger mounted for slidable movement in the sleeve and through the body respectively, a head formed with the outer end of the plunger, a latch plate carried by the plunger and extending through the neck for cooperation with the arms in securing the cap to the hub.

JOE LEE MARTIN. 

